Wallflower
by Dragonseatingme
Summary: When I first met the blue-haired boy, all I could think of was how much he resembled my Prince Charming- all ready to save me. And then I met the violet-eyed boy who was warmth, home, chocolate and friendship all mixed together. This is my scattered story of careless little notes, fairy-tales, flowers, a bit of falling, and a bit of growing up. YukimuraOCMarui.
1. Chapter 1

_**Wallflower**_

**Summary: **When I was four, my mother told me that my very own Prince Charming would always be there to save me. After several meetings with the same blue-haired boy, each one more embarrassing than the other, it's safe to say she was very very right. YukimuraOC

**Disclaimer: **I do not own PoT.

* * *

**Chapter 1: **Of First Time Meetings

* * *

"_I don't want to be alone; I want to be left alone." _

― _Audrey Hepburn_

* * *

When I was four, my mother used to read me fairy-tales. Stories of princes, dragons, damsels in distress, knights in shining armours, and how _every_ story had a happy ending.

When I was four I tended to believe those stories too.

And I- like every other girl my age- asked my mother in that adorable eyes glistening sort of way, whether I would ever have my own Prince Charming. At that time my mother would either brush away my question smiling or tell me to go to sleep.

I should have probably got the hint then and shut up.

But no, I kept asking and asking until one day she finally gave up and answered. I still remember that weary look in her eyes when she said, "Sweetie you'll find your Prince Charming someday. He'll be perfect- all smiles and charm, and you'll fall in love with him. But-"

Innocent, naïve little me grinned broadly and interrupted her before she could get any further, "And we'll live happily ever after right? Because that's how stories go mama; we'll be happy forever." I looked up at her with bright bright eyes and she pulled me into her arms and gazed at me with a look I didn't understand at that time, and said, "Kira, one day you'll find your Prince Charming. You just have to trust him okay? He might hurt you sometimes, or you might not understand him; but trust him darling, trust him. Remember Prince Charming will _always _protect you."

I remember jumping up and down in glee and then running off to tell my teddy bears and Barbie dolls my happy story.

It wasn't until later I realised the significance of that 'but' or the look she gave me.

My mother and father were going through a hard time when she told me that story, and she had all but lost every ounce of trust she had towards the male species. A few months later, there was a divorce and my parents were given joint custody over me.

Maybe it was all the tears my mother shed, or the sadness that seemed to fill the household all the time, but I suddenly found myself growing up much faster then I should have. All my dolls were replaced with books and bedtime stories were gone, leaving me alone to my thoughts all the time.

The last in dept conversation I had with my mother was then.

Yet four year old me would never forget, what mama told her. I would forever cherish the thought that someday, Prince Charming _would _find me; would ride away with me into the sunset.

I'm fifteen now and I will _always _believe in Prince Charming.

The only thing is I won't believe or trust any one else.

* * *

My first thought upon entering Rikkaidai High School was, "_Man this school is huge." _The second was to turn invisible.

There were students all around me, everyone milling about with a purpose. They seemed knew the place very well, but that was expected. Most of them were nervous freshmen; the seniors would come in later. I was one of the nervous ones except most probably I was a whole lot more worried about fainting then the others.

I was hiding in the bushes, however weird that sounded. I had walked into Rikkai as early as I could to avoid bumping into anyone, which would force me to socialise. Sadly everyone else seemed to have the same idea too.

It wasn't as if I was scared, nuh huh, I just didn't like loud noises, or talking, or _people. _I like silence, solitude and books to keep me company. I preferred talking to myself then talking to others.

So there I was standing by the bushes in the shadows, figuring out how I could walk through the din and into the classrooms without anyone noticing me or trying to make small talk. It wasn't as if everyone would s_top _and talk to me or something, but the thought of having to cross so many people, laughing, shouting and generally existing, made me pale and shudder.

But nothing else could be done, so I hoisted my backpack higher onto my shoulders, attempted to morph my face into a look of confidence and indifference and left my hidey-hole.

_Don't panic. Don't panic._

I walked about three metres when a boy bumped into me. I froze. He mumbled a quick apology, flashed me smile and continued to run. In seconds I found myself in the shadows again.

Again it wasn't as if I was scared- fine screw it; I was _very _scared, on the verge of puking my breakfast out scared.

Rikkaidai was _huge, _huge and full of _people. _In my middle school there were about half the number of kids there are here. Large enough for me to disappear into, but small enough for me not to bump into anyone unnecessarily. I was labelled a loner, and I was fine with that. No need to converse outside the boundary of projects, no need to fake laughter and smile all the time, no need to get caught in drama. I was all by myself, with silence being my best friend.

I was a very happy wallflower.

But now seeing how big the school was I wasn't so sure if I could stay alone anymore.

"You know, if you keep standing here, you're going to be late."

I jumped in shock, twirling around as fast as I could to see who was behind me. A boy around my age, with bright red hair and violet eyes smiled back at me. My heart raced in fright as I saw the proximity with which he had stood next to me, only about a foot between us. He blew a bubble and popped it, before lazily stretching his hand out to me.

"My name's Marui Bunta," he drawled. I stared at his outstretched hand with panic. A few seconds passed with me anxiously watching his hand, until he dropped it with a shrug.

"Common courtesy says you should introduce yourself too you know?" he said. He didn't look to upset, but I wasn't too sure. I was more worried about puking then courtesy at that point of time.

"Anyway you should probably get to class. If you continue to stare at the entrance like that, then you might just burn a hole," he joked, laughing a little.

I didn't say a word. Why was he trying to joke with me of all people? I mean, c'mon. There were so many other people he could bother. He gave me a curious look as his laughter slowly faded into nothingness. He opened his mouth to say more, but shut it and pushed the strap of his bag a little higher and walked out of the bushes.

He walked a few metres before turning around, cupping his mouth and shouting, "See you later Silence!" He flashed me a huge smile, and popped his bubble again before turning away.

As I calmed myself down after he left, my mind raced with the possibilities as to why he spoke to me. I was so accustomed to people leaving me to my own devices, that having someone purposefully break through to talk to me was just weird. Especially when I was trying to make myself scarce and invisible.

_Don't panic. Don't panic._

My heart calmed down, and my breakfast went back into my stomach. I took in deep breaths to get back to normal after that surprise encounter.

Now that he was gone, I could actually appreciate how good-looking he had been. He had that cheery disposition that boys tried to hide, in favour of the dark, brooding look.

"_Marui Bunta" _I thought to myself. Glancing up to the sky, I realised that perhaps, I had just made acquaintances with someone for the first time.

* * *

I finally convinced myself that it was time to leave my hole, and face the world in all its charm. I made it past the entrance and merged into the crowd of olive green coats and blue ties. I somehow found my classroom on my own without having to ask someone. I have always prided my sense of direction; I've never had to stop and talk to anyone thanks to it.

I entered my class- 1 A, and chose a seat right next to the window in the corner of the classroom. It wasn't a great seat, considering the fact that I couldn't see the entire board, but it was dark and hidden away, and I liked that. The boy had been right, I had just made it in time; a few minutes before the teacher arrived. I observed my classmates, organizing them into categories of- people whom I would talk to if necessary, people I would only talk to if I was very desperate, and people I would never _ever _open my mouth to.

For example, the timid girl in the front row who looked at if she was about to cry, I would to talk to if the situation called for it or the boy in the too-small trousers who was muttering physics' formulae I would speak with if my life depended on it. But the girl with high-heels and a too short skirt who was talking to a bunch of people around her in a haughty, condescending tone, I would never ever talk to even if the world depended on it.

I always preferred having people down in lists so I would never be caught unwary. Organizing was something my mind always did wherever I was, so I could tell how to avoid a person just by understanding his personality and checking a mental list of ways to distract his attention. It helped me avoid awkward one-sided conversations with many many people.

I settled back satisfied, and patiently waited for my teacher to come in. I pulled out my binder with some blank sheets in it, if I had to take down any details, and began humming my favourite J-pop song.

Everything was peaceful and tranquil until I heard a plop beside me, and turned to see the same boy from earlier sitting in the next bench. He hadn't noticed me, momentarily distracted by the high-heeled girl calling out his name. I quickly shuffled closer to the window, raising my arm in attempt to hide my face. Maybe he would decide to leave when he saw how bad the view was.

No such luck. After the brief conversation he had with the girl, he slumped down and blew a bubble and popped it. His lips twitched slightly and he looked side-ways at me. "You know hiding your face with your arm isn't of much use."

My face burned. I shuffled a little closer to the window. There was silence once again. He turned around abruptly and faced me. He asked exasperatedly, "Seriously, are you _ever _going to answer back?"

I felt my eyes widening. The urge to puke was getting stronger. I tried to move back further but felt the smooth expanse of the wall on my back. I looked at his bemused face and realised, no I was definitely _not _ready to talk to anyone yet.

I bet I had that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look.

Suddenly his eyes widened and his face lit up with some crazy epiphany. He looked at me with an expression akin to guilt and embarrassment.

There was a pause and all that could be heard was the chattering of my classmates and the gears of my head spinning trying to calm me down.

_Don't panic. Don't panic. _

"You're mute aren't you?"

Before I could even process what he had just said, he wailed and moved closer to me. "I'm so so so so sorry. I didn't-I should've- Oh god, why didn't you _tell _me. Wait you couldn't have told me. I'm _sorry." _

I frowned slightly at his words. Just because I don't chatter and speak out everything on my mind, doesn't make me _mute,_ it just makes me reserved.

He stood up, shuffled a bit and said, "Well I should go, I shouldn't have disturbed you. It must be hard right? Umm, I'll leave you to yourself then. If you need anything just come to me yeah? I'll help you. I'm so sorry."

The poor boy looked miserable with himself. He must have been taking it hard, so I decided to the right thing and let him know he was wrong. I took in a deep breath to calm my nerves, and opened my mouth to speak. "I'm not mute."

They were just three words, but I had finally spoken to someone out of my own free will, and not because I needed to. As I mentally patted myself on my back for passing my first hurdle in high-school, the boy's face had taken a comical turn. His mouth fell open as he gaped at me. He lifted his hand and pointed at me accusingly. "You _can _speak!"

I wanted to point out that I never had stated any time that I _was _mute, but all my bravado had abandoned me. I lifted my arm and tried to hide my face again, only to have it stopped by a warm hand clutching my wrist. I looked up to see the boy grinning at me. "You don't have to hide your face you know? I can still see it."

I blinked at him, and my wrist which was in his clutches. I kept blinking until he got the memo and let me go.

And then to my utter dismay, plopped himself back onto the bench angling his body to face me. "Soo are you going to tell me your name any time soon?"

I chose to disregard him, shuffling as close as I could to the wall, trying to ignore the urge to burst into tears because of the anxiety his presence caused me. Perhaps he would figure out I liked to be left alone, and leave me for that short-skirted girl who kept shooting him intense looks?

_Don't panic. Don't panic._

Sadly he did not seize the opportunity and contentedly settled into his seat beside me when the teacher arrived.

Sensei was a short, stout lady with a beaming smile, and I immediately knew I wouldn't like her. I preferred cold, strict teachers who had no time for dilly-dallying and went straight to the point. They never really cared about getting to know the students either. Smiling, motherly ones were a whole different issue. Not only did they unnecessarily take it upon themselves to understand their students, but they also took undue interest in me.

My last class-teacher, one of the motherly ones, asked me to have lunch with her every other day, because she felt sorry that I used to eat alone. The lunch hour with her was spent awkwardly, with her trying to make conversation and me silently nodding my head every now and then.

She gave up after a few weeks.

The boy next to me snickered when she entered. "Kimura-sensei is such a joke. Plus she's Japanese History; this year's going to be such a breeze."

I wanted to ask him how he knew so much about her, and why he was laughing at a _teacher, _but I didn't. More like I couldn't. It was surprising that I could even handle him sitting next to me for so long. Maybe I was getting used to his presence?

Either way, I removed a pen from my pouch and neatly started noting down what she said. It was a curious habit I picked up along the line of growing up in silence. I began writing down whatever I heard, not word-to-word but summarising and paraphrasing. I would sometimes go over whatever I had written in the night; it was like a diary of others' thoughts. I even had the conversation with the boy written down unconsciously.

The boy looked curiously at the page, but shrugged it off. I continued writing.

_Rikkaidai has been school to various champions for years. It is an honour for you all to be walking the hallways of Japanese legends. I want each and every one of you to work hard….._

I looked out of the window, my hand and brain still writing, but my heart was elsewhere. I saw the vast expanse of the grounds, tennis courts, football fields; Rikkaidai was beautiful.

As the chirping of the birds and drone of sensei's voice lulled me into a sense of contentment, my hand paused. I jerked upright, and looked at the sheet to make sure I had heard right. There it was written clearly in gel-

_Now each of you stand up and introduce yourself one by one._

I don't know if anyone heard it but my mind ripped into two immediately. Panic mode was on, and I started getting dizzy. No way I could stand up and speak in front of _thirty _odd students. No way, I would die. I can't do anything like that.

My nervousness must have shone, because the boy next to me turned and looked at me quizzically. He tried to smile reassuringly at me, but it made no difference to the situation. Slowly I watched students getting up, and introducing themselves, some brightly, some lazily and some seriously. I watched as the first column finished and then the second, and then finally it came to mine.

_Don't panic. Don't panic._

Everything seemed to speed up and the next thing I knew, my neighbour was introducing himself. He sat down, and everyone's gaze moved to me. I could feel their stares, their eyes on me.

My hand started to sweat and I felt like vomiting again. Dazedly I could see my teacher gesturing to me to get up. All I could do was stare and blink, and try not to cry. The boy whispered in my ear, "Get up, it's not that hard."

But I couldn't.

The class was getting impatient and I was getting closer and closer to freaking out and making a dash for the exit.

Suddenly the classroom door opened and a boy stepped in.

He looked like he fell from heaven, with a perfect halo of blue hair around his face and the grace of a dancer. His eyes were sparkling and he had an easy smile on his face. Immediately all the attention was focused on him, and I relished the feeling of being in the shadows again.

I looked at my saviour and it hit me.

Blue hair, angel like; a knight in a shining armour. _"Remember Prince Charming will always protect you."_

I felt my stomach plummet and my brain go hay-wire. I felt the world spin, and I felt like I was falling.

His eyes caught mine, across the classroom, across the numerous heads of students, across what felt like to me- oceans, and he smiled.

"_Prince Charming?"_

* * *

**A/N:** There you go! First chapter of 'Wallflower'.

Read and Review?

~Dragonseatingme


	2. Chapter 2

_**Wallflower**_

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone who took time to read and review! :D **Under A Cloud**, **Faye-Asahina**, **YunaBrown**

Thanks to everyone who faved, followed or just read the story!

Yes, some of you might have noticed the pairing change. It's not a change, as much as it is an option. I'm dabbling with the idea of MaruiOC (inspired slightly by **YunaBrown's** review). I'm mostly going to see how the story goes, before choosing the official pairing.

**Disclaimer****: **I wish I did own PoT

* * *

**Chapter 2: **The Spark of Something New

* * *

"_I'm not exactly a guy who makes new friends easily."_

_-Tom Petty_

* * *

A few years ago, just before I started middle-school, I had a best friend.

Well, we weren't exactly close per say, but we used to eat together, sit together during class and pair up if there were any projects. It was a simple relationship really; he would help me avoid talking to people and I would do his homework. He would the get teacher to ignore me, and I would whisper answers to him during exams. We never really had conversations, half due to the fact that I had an allergy to people and half because we never really had anything in common.

We spent the second half of Primary- from fourth grade- as friends, until he chose a different middle school and I shifted to my dad's house and went to a private school there.

That boy, whom I met by spilling my lunch on, back on the second day of fourth grade, is probably the only friend I have _ever _had in all my years of existing.

Being labelled a loner doesn't really hurt me very much- because I _am _one. It's not like people haven't tried talking to me, I've just not taken the effort to follow through with them.

(Though, in my defence, the people who attempted were either there to copy my homework or were teachers)

Life's so simple when you're alone. People just don't _get _that.

* * *

As I watched the blue-haired boy (my savior) converse with sensei, I felt a sharp -though unwarranted- surge of anger. He made socialising look so _easy. _His pleasant-'I just dropped from heaven'- smile, expressions and looks, looked, literally enough to charm the pants off _anyone. _

Sensei definitely looked like she had fallen prey to his charisma. She had the look of a teenager meeting her pop idol personally for the first time. To think of it, most of the girls in my class looked like that. They were fawning over his every move.

A small part of me wanted to fawn too, and another part of me felt an irrational urge to blind all the girls because his beauty was _only _for me. He was _my _Prince Charming and none of theirs.

He saved _me, _he smiled for _me. _

When I caught the sound of his laughter, it just served to emphasis that fact even further.

I was falling like those girls, for his charm.

There was a lull in conversation for a moment and I suddenly caught track of my thoughts and where they were heading.

I shook my head.

No no. I shouldn't be thinking like that. It wouldn't do to obsess over a boy I would never _speak _to much less fall in love with.

I shouldn't be acting like an over-protective girlfriend, when I didn't even have the right to _think _like that. He didn't know me, and how could I place ownership over him like that? Those _girls_ probably knew him better than me.

I was in love with the concept of fairy-tale love.

But yet love to me, was a process built upon trust and time. You can't look at a person and fall in love with him, or in a glance know who you'll spend the rest of your life with. It just doesn't work like that.

That was one aspect of fairy-tales I never understood. How do you know when your Prince Charming arrives? How do you know that that random boy you bumped into last week wasn't him? Or the greengrocer's son who's face grows a little brighter every time you pass him, isn't the person you're going to spend the rest of your life with?

It's a paradox really. One side you might feel he _is _'the one', while the other side- the logical half- tells you it's just a passing fad, something you'll grow out of.

The blue-haired boy might have saved me, but he need not be my Prince Charming. After all he might just be a boy who happened to enter class precisely when I wanted him too. It's not fate and all that; it might just be coincidence.

But that doesn't mean I didn't have to be grateful to him.

* * *

The boy's name was Yukimura Seichii, which means 'Sincere One'. It suited him; he seemed like the type who would never suger-coat his words or beat around the bush. His family name meant 'Snowy Village'; perhaps an indication to his angelic looks- snow angels and snowflakes falling falling- each different and more beautiful than the other; _white the colour of heaven._

My name on the other hand means, 'Dark', like my personality- hidden away in layers of solitude. My parents chose that name because I was born on a dark stormy night, and I didn't cry immediately. My mother would tell me on some of her particularly bad days, how dark my eyes looked when I was born, and how silent I was as a baby.

I was christened 'Kira'- a perfectly lovely name, if it had no backstory of course. Tsukino Kira. A dark field lit up by the moon- if I had to translate the literal meaning of my full name into a proper sentence. I spent a lot of time contemplating about things like that- there's a lot you can do with silence.

Yukimura-san- after charming sensei till she was a puddle of goo- was allowed to go and sit down. He had arrived late, apparently because the Principal had to speak to him. Sensei and the other students nodded their heads understandingly, while I didn't get what the Principal of a revered institution such as _Rikkaidai, _needed with a high-school freshman on his first day of school.

Perhaps he was a genius or something?

Yukimura-san paused for a second, as he glanced around the room searching for an empty seat.

The class was completely full, except for a lone empty seat right next to the too short skirt and high-heeled girl. Judging by her smug and self-satisfied smirk, she had planned to have him sit there. She waved her hands slightly gesturing to the empty seat beside her- her face lit up with an alluring smile.

For a second- so brief I doubt anyone noticed- a frown flittered across his face, marring his angelic looks. But as if it never happened, his serene expression reappeared as he effortlessly made it past a clutter of bags to reach the seat. He bowed down ever so slightly in greeting before taking his seat in one fluid motion.

He sat there with his arms clasped- a picture perfect model of a responsible student.

Sensei was obviously flustered by his presence. She rushed through the rules, messing up a few here and there (I should know, I memorized the entire book) before hastily giving us our schedule and details and making her way out of the classroom as quickly as she could.

He smiled throughout sensei's episode of discomfort.

Even I could notice the subtle changes his presence brought to the classroom. The girls sat up straighter, showing a little more leg than necessary, while the boys somehow became less unruly.

There was this sort of awe that seemed to permanently surround him, like he was a child of God, or like he was a literal angel. There an was aura of superiority around him, the way he carried himself; everything screamed '_I'm better than you!"_

I could feel it too, making me want to huddle up into myself and disappear. Although he was halfway across the room, probably not even knowing I exist, I had this inane urge to please him.

Please him, so that he'll look at me with those bright _bright _blue eyes, and smile at me again, and everything will become _alright, _because he _smiled _at me.

But I wanted him to leave as well, disappear, so I didn't have to feel all the more anxious than normal.

Somehow his presence made me want to cry, but seemed to soothe me, comfort me, protect me. It was very very weird.

Beside me, Marui-san laughed a little. A gruff little laugh, not like the sound of wind-chimes of Yukimura-san's laughs, but nice to listen to just the same.

"He's done it again."

'Done what again?' I wanted to ask, but instead I looked back down at my paper and read what I had written so far.

"Aren't you even mildly curious?"

I knew that that was addressed to me, but I didn't look up. Looking up would mean facing my fears, and I wasn't ready for that.

_Don't panic. Don't panic._

I kept writing on.

His lips pursed. "Okay, even if you don't talk to _me, I'm _going to talk to you yeah? And then at some point of time you'll _have _to talk back, so I'm just going to keep talking."

I wanted to point out that he talking too much would send my already agitated brain into fits of utter chaos. Silence, I wanted silence.

I knew he was starting at me with those violet eyes of his, I could feel my skin prickling and my reflexes making my body curl into itself in vain attempt of shutting him out.

I couldn't control it really because every bone in my body wanted it to happen; to turn invisible.

The symptoms of being a sociophobic, I guess.

* * *

I didn't realise Marui-san had gone silent, until I felt a warm breath over my shoulder. I flinched and immediately my mind went blank- my heartbeat rose, and I felt my knuckles go white with the pressure with which I clutched my desk.

_Don't panic. Don't panic. _

"Gosh you're _so _easily scared!"

Marui-san, I should've noticed.

I calmed down a little, and bowed my head further down in attempt of blocking him away.

I didn't want to acknowledge the fact that he was _right,_ oh so_ right. _I got scared way to easily; even for a person who hated people. It would probably take me _months _to get used to having someone make active conversation with me.

"So watcha writing?" I heard a bubble pop, and I knew he was standing there in that infuriatingly calm stance of his, watching me with those infuriatingly bright eyes, with an infuriatingly huge grin on his face.

The vivid image my mind conjured up, freaked me out even further, and I borrowed deeper into the desk.

I heard an exasperated sigh, maybe he was giving up? That would be good, maybe a little saddening, but mostly relieving.

A few seconds later, I felt the presence behind me disappear, and I slowly looked up to see if the coast was clear. To check whether I was right.

I turned and was greeted with the sight of Marui-san looking unusually silent. His eyes peered at me with such uncharacteristic seriousness that even the bubble he was blowing did nothing to dissipate the picture.

I waited in silence, because it was obvious he was going to say _something _soon enough. A few minutes passed, before he reached some sort of conclusion to his ponderings.

"You are _actually _a sociophobic."

I nearly choked on my own saliva; _that's _what he was contemplating about all this time? Something that is so obvious, even a two-year old could figure it out.

I thought my general disinclination to speak to anyone was as clear as the salient fact that the high-heeled girl beside Yukimura-san had everyone eating out of the palm of her hand. Or even better, as obvious as the fact that Yukimura-san was popular, very very popular.

I nearly giggled.

But the usual discomfort of having someone stare at me arose once again, so I just turned back and continued to observe him from the corner of my eyes.

He looked slightly upset at my lack of reaction to his insight and he slumped into his seat and fell back into silence again.

The urge to giggle hit me once more.

After a few minutes, I felt his gaze on me again, so I turned around with an inaudible sigh.

This time his face had taken a U-turn and was shining with the brightness of a child receiving presents on Christmas day.

A small part of me- fine a very large part of me- dreaded what he was about to say next.

He took in a deep breath.

"You're scared of talking right? But you love writing yeah? So why not combine both?"

He beamed at me, obviously very pleased with his idea.

Silence.

He slumped back into his seat, looking at me as if waiting for a reaction.

Involuntarily I quirked up an eyebrow, intrigued. The slight change in expression seemed to encourage him, as he visibly brightened up again, and grew more animated.

He threw his hands up in the air- attracting way more attention than necessary.

"So _write _what you're going to say! I saw how quickly you wrote down what Kimura-sensei said, so you can do the same for conversations."

He must have noticed me slinking to the left, closer to the window, and figured that he was garnering too many weird looks so he quietened down, much to my gratitude, and continued.

"It'll be like-like _awesome_. That way you don't have to even face anyone while talking- you just have to write! I mean- it's brilliant right? I'm such a genius."

Genius? Maybe not, but I considered his words. It was very naïve thinking, that sociophobia was simply a fear of talking- it was far far scarier than that. But his words did have _some _meaning, like I might not have to address someone directly, but still could have conversation with them.

Who knows, maybe it would help me get over my irrational fears as well?

I nodded my head tentatively in his direction, still not trusting my mouth to talk. He grinned and plopped back onto the bench looking at me expectantly.

I did nothing but bend down, remove my physics textbook from my bag, and begin to read.

The slight sound of vexation from him made me smile lightly as I continued to read my chapter. What did he expect, me to trust him immediately and write long letters expressing my gratitude and love?

I was still anxious due to his presence, still panicking at the size of the classroom, still feeling the suffocating presence of so many people _existing,_ and still grappling with the whole idea of taking-but-not-talking.

The letters could wait.

* * *

My first note to Marui-san went like this:

_Marui-san,_

_Which page are we in?_

In my defence, I looked out of the window for a _second _during Japanese history, and found that sensei had skipped like five pages, and I had no idea where he was reading.

I had three options at that point in time, first was to just keep looking until I found where he was (which failed miserably, because I soon realised that he had skipped _way _more than five pages) the second was to just let the sensei carry on talking and not listen (thereby losing out on a lot of matter, which could potentially lead me to fail in my exams) and third was to swallow my fear, grab the devil by the horns and just _write him a note._

It took me way longer than necessary to make that decision.

Beyond a point it boiled down to whether I was ready to fail or not. Not failing somehow won the battle.

His reply, to be honest, was way longer than expected complete with smileys and exclamation marks. He passed it on with the brightest smile I had ever seen, and when I opened it, I was greeted to several sentences of writing, not a simple page number and para number like I expected.

It was sorta cute.

I shot him a watery smile-but-not-a-smile and went to the required page.

He beamed back at me.

Little did I know that this one note, would mark the memorable beginning of one of the most beautiful things I have ever had the joy of being part of. The beginning of beginnings, the beginning of new things, of new changes- the beginning of the gift they call friendship.

That note, sparked a story of chocolates, detentions, fights, silences, letters, inspirations, hugs, bruises, giving up, never giving up, staying strong, breaking down, a bit of falling, a bit of getting up, and maybe even a bit of growing up.

My life would never ever be the same ever again.

* * *

_Dear book of awesomeness, _

_I might have just made a new friend today._

_She's new to Rikkai because I never saw her in middle-school, but with the way she hides in the shadows, I think I would've probably never noticed her even if she did attend it._

_She's a little shorter than me, thin as a stick, with skin so pale that I doubt she's ever been properly outside. Her hair is dark black, and when she shuffles to the corner in attempt to hide from me, I swear she looks slightly like a very scared ghost._

_Her eyes are very pretty though. They're a nice shade of grey leaning on blue. They hide who she is, just like Yukimura. I don't get what she thinks, sees or feels. I think she protects her identity with them._

_She's a sociophobic. She can't talk, smile or even stand in the presence of a person. She's terrified of me; I can feel it in waves._

_But there's something special about her, something special about that girl with an adorable habit of hiding behind her arms, shuffling into corners, and smiling-but-not-smiling._

_When I saw her near the bushes at the entrance of school, I honestly thought she was playing a prank and was hiding there. I did not expect to see an anxious, panicky girl who wouldn't even tell me her name._

_That's right; I don't even know her name._

_But she's me brand-new friend, and I'm going to figure her out. Even if it means going at the pace of a snail._

_I am ready, I am willing. _

_Something tells me-something, that from now on, my life is going to change forever._

_-Marui Bunta_

* * *

**A/N: **Chapter twooooo! :D Yeah, the MaruiOCYukimura is a thing. You can tell me your opinions on it, even if proper Yukimura-Kira moments haven't happened yet.

READ & REVIEW?

~Dragonseatingme


	3. Chapter 3

_**Wallflower**_

**A/N: **A huuuuuge thanks to everyone who reviewed! :D **mewmewlover23**, **YunaBrown**, **Drops of Azure**, **Under A Cloud.**

Thanks to everyone who faved, followed and read the story as well!

**Note: **Just to clear things up, the ending of the previous chapter was _not _the note Marui wrote to Kira; it's his _diary entry _^_^

**Disclaimer: **I don't own PoT (sigh)

* * *

**Chapter 3: **Of Revelations

* * *

"_Everyone may not be good, but there's always something good in everyone. Never judge anyone shortly, because every saint has a past and every sinner has a future."_

_~Oscar Wilde_

* * *

It isn't easy being a loner at times. I learnt that lesson when I was faced with the daunting decision of choosing where to eat.

Marui-san had left as soon as the bell rung, citing something about 'cake running out'. I was tempted to follow him, just to have _someone _whom I minutely knew well, around me so I didn't happen to burst into tears or something. But he left in crazy rush, before I could even look up from my book, and I was left staring at the empty space where he stood seconds previously.

I slowly slid in my bookmark-

_("Absorbed in a book,_

_Experiencing the world_

_Through another's eyes.")_

-and shut the book with a soft sigh. I glanced around the class, teeming with students, contemplating my next move. I wondered where I should go and have lunch. The cafeteria was out of option- there would be _way _too many students- my classroom didn't look like it was emptying out any time, and however much ever I disliked people, I wasn't desperate enough to go and eat in the restroom.

The least Marui-san could have done, was to tell me where he was going to eat, or something.

I frowned at that thought.

What did I expect- for him to stay and take care of me like a child? He had no reason to help me; he was boy with places to go and people to see, and I was a girl whom he had just met, who hadn't even bothered to tell him her name.

I shook my head; I was Kira, and I had survived through lonely lunches all my life, and just because one boy stopped and tried to talk to me didn't mean I couldn't handle being alone anymore.

That's right, there's nothing that can be done with others, that can't be done alone.

With that thought I ruffled my inner pride, picked up my bento, and started towards the doorway.

As I walked, silently and softly- in my mind like a ninja- I observed all my classmates-each in their own little gang. Most of them were laughing, having fun- making me shudder at their exuberance.

You know that tiny little part of your mind that goes, "Aww look at them; look at their shining faces and pretty smiles. The world is _so _beautiful" and then sighs deeply at the thought? Yeah that part of mind started giving me mental pictures of how happy I would be if I had proper friends.

(The problem was, I started believing it)

And just then, a boy guffawed loudly near my exit towards freedom, at some obviously perverted joke, throwing his arm in the air, accidentally punching another boy next to him. Watching that made me flinch and I realised that I was incredibly _happy _being alone, because there wouldn't be any chance of me getting punched or hit, or anything of that sort.

(Little did I know how wrong I was)

I slowly inched my way out of the class, keeping my head low. I got past the nerd boys, the giggling girls, the stay-away-from boys and finally reached the doorway, and I internally squealed with joy of getting through unscathed.

I exited and turned left towards the staircase, keeping to the walls, so as to avoid accidentally crashing into someone. I had my guard up; any moment a bunch of boys would come streaking through the corridors at freakishly scary speeds- laughing, shouting and shoving each other into the innocent by-standers such as myself; scarring them for life.

I dubbed them the 'Ouch Boys' because if they crash into you, it will _hurt. _

I saw them pass by my class earlier, and one of them nearly toppled a girl over- luckily she balanced herself in the nick of time, preventing what would have been a very nasty accident.

After that incident I figured that getting through the corridors of Rikkai would be harder than it seemed. Somehow the Ouch Boys aimed for people who did _not _want incredibly hot boys to crash into them, instead of all the girls who put themselves purposefully in dangerous locations. It's obvious they did that so that one of them might get hurt, and then would be taken to the nurse- who wouldn't be there- by the boy who hit her and he would take care of her until they fell in love and all the manga tosh.

Honestly, that sounded _scary. _I mean why would anyone risk their _lives _for a boy?

But at the same time, I don't think it's really fair for the boys; they have to risk _their _lives for us- you know to be knights-in-a-shining-armour, but we can't do the same for them?

Talk about feminism.

I continued moving, replaying my thoughts in my head, as I watched many girls, standing right in the centre of the corridor chatting, with their eyes darting right and left waiting for the Ouch Boys to announce their presence.

_Gosh, they're so desperate. Just look how they're dressing._

It was true, all of them had extremely short skirts, and way too much make-up. Leading the pack was that high-heeled girl from my class.

I rolled my eyes condescendingly at them.

_Honestly, when will they learn that stuff like that won't work? _

Wait, what?

I stopped moving for a second, scrutinizing my thoughts. What did I just say? _What did I just say?_

It hit me like a ton of bricks leaving me gasping for air at the impact.

I was _judging _people.

I was classifying them, looking down at them, _when I barely knew them._

How could _I_ of all people do that?

School's weird that way isn't it? It brings out the worst in everyone.

Everyone has their own expectations, beliefs, likes, dislikes; and the minute we're confronted with something out of our little bubble, we freak out, and blame the person for being different, and absorb them into our bubble in the pretence of making them _'normal'_.

I think that's horrible of people, horrible of them to judge people they barely know on stereotypes and exterior features.

I should know, I've had more than enough people talking in hushed tones whenever I passed them, about how _stupid _or _weird _or _ugly _I was. I've always had a natural inclination towards solitude, but middle-school made it worse, because that's when I started getting _scared _of people, started freaking out if anyone even _looked _at me.

School made me who I am.

And now, here I was, _judging _people. It was really really sad, sad because I've been doing it all along. Judging my classmates, judging Marui-san, hell even judging Yukimura-san.

How could I do that?

People can't be fit into neat little boxes, it's impossible. Some try force themselves to blend in, some try to hide away from it all, and others strut their oddness with pride.

I can't judge.

I _can't _judge. I _shouldn't _judge_._

I tilted my head slightly, as I watched the short-skirt and high-heeled girl walk by. Maybe she's not _bad; _maybe it was okay for her to try to get Yukimura-san's attention like that. Maybe sometimes girls _had _to do _something _to get a guy's attention, like how boys had to slay dragons to get ours. Maybe it was okay to be a social butterfly, okay to resort to desperate techniques, okay to try your best even though half the world might look down at you because of it.

It's okay.

I mean, life's hard enough on your own, but having people look down at you because you need to deal with your problems _someway_, having the world hate you, because you're trying your best to cling onto to _something _that will keep you from sinking, sinking into the hatred that is your life, having people think they're better than you, because you're actually _doing _something to get the attention of someone you care about, is just _sad. _

I'm not saying their method is suitable or appropriate, but is it fair to hate them just because they're trying?

Is it really?

Somehow when I looked at the girl laughing with her friends, she was no longer the short-skirt high-heeled girl, but just another one who dealt with her problems more differently than me.

Maybe _that's _another reason I can't make friends, not just because I'm scared of everyone I meet, but because I have no common alignments with them. To make friends you have to share certain common hatred with them, or not socialise with certain people to stay loyal to them.

I can't do that. I either hate everyone, or don't care about anyone. There's nothing in-between.

It was resolution of mine; I will never judge a person without knowing them. Everyone is going to be grey all my life, until I know them well enough to classify them into black or white.

Yeah, I'm probably never going to make friends.

So I guess I _have _to stick to Marui-san then.

I unconsciously made way for another student, so lost in my thoughts. I heard a soft, "Thank you," and I vaguely nodded in the direction of the voice.

Little did I know that I had moved into the centre of the corridor. Little did I realise I had moved into the path of destruction. Little did I notice that a whirlwind was coming my way.

I didn't hear the cry until it was far too late.

Suddenly my vision was completely filled with one of the Ouch Boys coming towards me in speeds unknown to man, so incredibly close I could _feel _the energy pulsating out of him, I could hear my heart hammering, my brain going hay-wire; all my functioning stopped.

My recent revelation had slowed my thinking down, because I had done an act so unforgivable, that a small part of my mind, _wanted _to get hit as part of my punishment.

I'm such a masochist.

The Ouch Boy's eyes were wide-open too, trying desperately to send me a message, "_Get out of the fricken' way"_

That's when I realised there was no way I could get out of his way, he _was _going to crash into me, and my greatest fear was about to come true. He was getting closer and closer, and all my body could do was prepare for the impact.

Time slowed down, and I braced myself for the impact. My eyes noticed every detail of my would be assailant. The desperate look in his eyes as he tried to slow down, their clear grey colour, his thick black hair, messed up uniform, the lopsided glasses on his nose; everything struck me with HD clarity.

I shut my eyes.

_Three two one-_

I was jerked to the side.

* * *

The boy continued to run a few metres before halting, falling to the ground and catching his breath in relief.

As for me I gasped for breath, clutching my heart in desperate attempt of slowing down its beat. Everything was in a haze; I could see people staring at me, and I felt tears prickling my eyes.

_No, _I could _not _cry in front of them. They were all looking at me, which was scarier than the fact that I almost broke my bones. I couldn't even look up to see my saviour; I was too busy calming myself down.

I could hear him gently asking me if I was okay, before holding my hand and guiding me away from the crowd. I saw them part for him, like he was a holy messenger or something, but I couldn't look up to see his face or do anything else really other than pathetically drag my feet along with his.

God, I was over-reacting way too much.

I didn't want to look up from my feet, and he didn't give me any reason to look up either. He had a firm grip on my elbow as he guided me up a stair-case, and opened a door at the top.

My heart-beat had resumed its normal speed, my sight cleared and I blinked away my tears.

In front of me was spread a beautiful roof-top garden, with blooming flowers, rows of neat hedges and solitary benches placed a few feet from each other.

Finally I looked up from my feet, to see who had saved me.

It was Yukimura-san.

Oh crap.

I'm pretty sure my face burned red, and I bowed down in front of him, not saying a word, hoping my actions would speak louder.

He laughed gently with that twinkling-like-wind-chimes laugh, which instantly made me feel a little better.

"Are you okay?"

As much as I wanted to remain silent, I knew I couldn't do that, so I said, "Yeah, I'm fine," really softly.

He smiled, and said, "I'm glad."

He began walking towards the bench, and since I had nowhere to go, and I still hadn't thanked him, I followed him there too. He sat down and gestured for me to sit next to him. For a second I looked hesitantly at the seat, before sitting down slowly.

I could hear the voices of some other people, on the other side of the roof. If I weren't mistaken, I'm pretty sure I heard Marui-san's voice too.

Other than the laughter coming from there, there were no other sounds. Yukimura-san had fallen silent, a serene look on his face. As for me, I was at loss of what to do.

His presence didn't make me want to vomit, but want to hide away, because it was so dominating- so enigmatic.

Finally he turned to look me in the eye, with those brilliant blue eyes, twinkling ever so slightly. "So what's your name?"

"Tsukino Kira," I said quietly, uttering those words for the first time since my arrival in school.

"Which class are you in Tsukino-san?" he asked politely, attempting to make conversation with me.

"1-A"

"Oh that's the same class as me." He looked vaguely surprised at that, but I couldn't really tell. "How come I haven't seen you?"

I shrugged; it isn't odd to hear that. I don't think anyone, _but _Marui-san noticed me.

The conversation lulled, and I made no attempt to re-kindle it. Any moment now, he'd get up and excuse himself, and I'll be alone to my thoughts again of him, his perfection, his beauty.

But he made no move to get up, and no move to start conversation. We were left in this sort of silence, that wasn't awkward, or stifling or disconcerting. It was that sort of silence that I craved for, and the silence I usually only found in the comfort of the library at home, or in my father's arms.

It just reminded me once again of how, despite me knowing so little about him, Yukimura Seichii was such a _beautiful_ person.

I wonder if he knew how amazing he was.

The silence was broken by him, turning to look at me again, this time a little questioning, a little curious.

"Why didn't you move?"

What? His question puzzled me. _Why didn't I move?_

He asked again, this time a little more forcefully.

"Why didn't you move out of the way? You had more than enough time; it just would've taken a step. Why didn't you move?"

I blinked owlishly. I couldn't move, that was the problem- I was frozen in place.

I frowned slightly.

"I _couldn't _move Yukimura-san."

My bravery to utter those surprised me, but the look he gave me compelled me to answer.

"I know, but it wasn't just nerves that froze you there was it?"

It was a rhetorical question, and it confused me. It was only nerves right, _right?_

But then again it wasn't. There was something else, something else I wasn't aware of.

Yukimura-san smiled softly- a sad little smile.

He gently gave my fingers a squeeze, before getting up.

I gazed up at him, and his face had taken this melancholic turn. He gave me one last smile, before turning away.

He had walked a few steps before turning around and saying,

"You're a beautiful person Tsukino-san; don't let _anyone _say anything other than that."

A few seconds later, he was gone.

And I was left with questions with no answers, because _how did he know? _How did he know with one look, and one there-but-not-there conversation? How, _how, __**how?**_

A small smile graced my face. _Thank you Yukimura-san._

I fell harder than ever.

* * *

_Did you meet Yukimura today?_

_-Marui_

Yes.

_He told me._

_-Marui_

Oh.

_Soooooo where did you eat lunch today?_

_-Marui_

On the roof-top.

_Whhhhhat? I didn't see you!_

_-Marui_

There's a lot of things you don't see Marui-san.

_Wahh so mean._

_I'm bored._

That girl is going to ask you out.

_Woah, she's pretty._

She is.

_How did you know?_

I hear things Marui-san.

_Oh._

Oh indeed.

_Can I borrow your history notes please?_

_Hello?_

_Hello?_

_Answer the notes my desk partner._

_Hey, don't sigh at my notes like that._

_Please, please, please?_

Fine.

_Yayyyyyyyy!_

Only history.

_So mean._

_Stop laughing at me!_

Marui-san, I suggest you look at the board now, sensei's staring at you.

_Eeeeep._

_I got into trouble._

Yes you did.

_How come only I got detention for passing notes in class, while you didn't._

Because sensei know I'm innocent.

_Pfft, she must be blind._

Look at the board Marui-san.

_Humph, I liked you better when you didn't talk._

_Hello?_

_Heeeeello?_

_Don't ignore me!_

_I'm sorryyyy I was only teasing you._

_Waaaah, talk to me desk partner._

Concentrate in class Marui-san.

_You're no fun._

_I'm bored._

_Desk-partner, do you have cake?_

_Do you have chocolates?_

_Do have sweets?_

No.

_Do you have a name?_

Tsukino Kira.

* * *

**A/N: **And there's another chapter of 'Wallflower'. Hope you all liked it! :D

Yeah a Yukimura moment, tell me what you think of it! I'm aware there was more thoughts of Kira in this chapter, than any proper PoT character involvement, but I'm just setting pace for the story.

READ AND REVIEW? :D

~Dragonseatingme


	4. Chapter 4

_**Wallflower**_

**A/N: **Late update, yeah sorry, I know I suck. I've been getting ideas of fics in literally _every _other fandom except this one. Inspiration is such a fleeting thing isn't it?

_Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed! __**Drops of Azure, uriel's tea time, YunaBrown, Suzumehime, Under A Cloud.**_

_**RandomReader**__: You know I used to review anonymously under the name RandomReviewer, yeah LOL. Anyway thank you for reviewing! Kira ending up with Marui? Hmmm maybe, maybe not XD But I do think they'll be cute together too :D_

A huuuuuge thanks to everyone who just read the story, faved and followed :D

Now on with the story. ^_^

* * *

**Disclaimer: **PoT isn't mine. Dammit.

* * *

**Chapter 4: **Friendship of a Different Kind.

* * *

"_Say what you wanna say_

_And let the words fall out_

_Honestly I wanna see you be brave"_

_-Sara Bareilles, Brave._

* * *

You know how people say friendships are formed over mutual agreement and trust? Yeah I used to believe that too. But considering the fact that I haven't _had _many friends, one could say I didn't have the experience to support this argument.

Well I'd like to disagree since I've read more than enough books, and I have come to the conclusion that friendships are formed either because a) he/she stole your crayon in kindergarten or b) he/she love the same kind of music/books/sport/anything else you might like.

There might be more ways, but according to me these are the easiest ways of making friends.

Since I didn't steal anyone's crayon in kindergarten and I don't know anyone (or more like I didn't try to _get_ to know anyone) who likes the English version of Harry Potter, I haven't got any friends.

(As you can see, I am completely, utterly disregarding my fears at the moment)

But in the end, my first ever _proper _I-will-talk-to-you-when-you-talk-to-me friendship happened when neither of the aforementioned events occurred. Figures that would happen in a school like Rikkai, and also that my fear of bad grades would have led to it.

Figures.

* * *

"Marui-san," I stared horrified at his face.

He smiled reassuringly at me. "It's okay Tsukino-san, nothing's going to happen."

"_Nothing?_" I asked incredulously, "What do you mean _nothing_?"

He raised his hands up in surrender. "Okay okay, maybe not _nothing_, but chill I've got through this a million times."

"I don't _care _if you've gone through this before! _I _haven't you got that? Oh god, this is horrible _horrible_, how could this happen-oh god-oh god-_"_

"Tsukino-san, you're panicking again," Marui-san deduced aptly.

"Of course I am! This is bad bad bad."

"I thought you panicked enough in lunch."

"I _know, _but that was like three hours ago, plus it's all more _real _now!"

"And there I was, thinking you've finally calmed down."

I sighed, and slid down against the wall. Marui-san gently sat down next to me and leaned against the wall too.

"Hey at least it got you to talk!" he joked trying to lighten the situation. I glared- or at least attempted to- and rested my head in my palms.

Marui-san patted my back, and said, "It's okay Tsukino-san. One of my teammates comes here almost every day. If he's still in school with no problem, then nothing's going to happen to us."

His reassurance did little to better the situation.

He added brightly, "Let's keep this as a bonding session!" He shot me a bright beam, which faltered slightly when he saw my expression.

Although I didn't have the urge to hide or scream or generally do the things I feel like doing when my sociophobia worked up, my heart still pounded against my chest, like my irritating house-mate did every night, banging away to glory on his drums.

Marui-san blew a bubble and popped it, infuriating me with his nonchalance. I wondered who this friend of his was, who survived this-this _horror _every day. I added that to the list of things I-did-not-know-about-the-boy-who-sat-next-to-me-and-didn't-want-to-know-either.

_Tick-tock tick-tock._

My imagination started imagining various scenarios- each one more improbable than the first. I felt the silence getting to me- which was very weird since I practically _live _in silence. I shot the first thing that came to my head out,

"Hey Marui-san, are they going to like eat us in there?"

No stupid brain, stupid stupid brain. Just because you're nervous and surprisingly not scared of the boy next to you anymore, does not make it okay to say stupid things.

Marui-san looked at me weirdly, but fortunately didn't say anything.

I had an intense urge to explain myself, so I said, "I've read many books."

Marui-san nodded understandingly, and popped another bubble. Perhaps hanging out with his extremely _different _teammates made him immune to stupidity? Either way I thanked god, he didn't comment, I doubt I would have survived the embarrassment otherwise.

We just sat there for a moment leaning against the wall in silence, and I sighed knowing I could do practically nothing but accept the situation.

"Okay how long do we have to wait?"

His smile came back to life after I resigned myself to the situation.

"Well, it depends really; usually we have to wait for at least half-an-hour. Do you have anything to eat, I'm hungry and I missed-"

"You know I still hold you responsible right?"

He faltered in his tirade for a second, and in a slightly toned down voice answered, "Yeah."

I sighed again and lifted my fist, "Let's do this Marui-san."

His reply echoed through the empty hallway.

* * *

My day started off normally enough, I woke up at 5 a.m- completed the morning ritual of brushing, taking a bath, changing- and I found myself yawning away to glory as I grabbed the sandwich my dad made me, and walked out of the house.

It was a crisp morning, a little chilly with the sun barely out. There weren't many people around as I hummed my way to school, because let's be honest, not many people walk around at 6:15 in the morning. I figured out by the third day of school that besides a few over-zealous jocks, not many students came to school earlier than 7:45 as school only started at 8:15. So I began leaving at 6:15 arriving around 6:30, and spending time on the roof or classroom completing my homework.

Rikkaidai was beautiful in the morning when there weren't students bustling about making too much noise. Nice and tranquil which suited my tastes of a perfect morning. Even if I had to wake up way too early, it was well worth the loss of sleep.

Half-way there I met Yukimura-san who happened to live nearby, and we set off together to school. We did this every day, since he had tennis practice at around the same time. I was just walking by one day, and he fell into step with me, and since then it became another part of my routine to meet him near a café- which was permanently closed- where he usually would wait for me, since he was _always _early.

"Good morning Tsukino-san," he said with a smile, and I nodded my head back at him in response. He learnt much faster than Marui-san that I preferred not talking much, and he respected that.

On our way to school we occasionally spoke of what we were doing in class, or basic small talk. Mostly I just enjoyed his soothing presence, and the beautiful morning. Sometimes when I looked up at him, I could see the ethereal glow to him, which was perhaps why everyone called him the 'Child of God.' It was in those quiet moments that you could really appreciate Yukimura-san's sculpted looks.

After reaching school we parted ways and he left to the tennis courts while I moved to the classroom.

On certain days, if I didn't have any homework, I would follow him to the courts and seat myself in the shadow of the trees nearby. The first few practices shocked me, the Tennis Regulars were _intense. _There was one practice when Yukimura-san and two other boys whom I didn't know, completely annihilated all the senpai in less than an hour. It was downright _freaky. _

Beyond a point I got used to it, because I came into Rikkaidai knowing I'll meet some crazy people- but I wasn't prepared to the level to which these boys took tennis seriously.

Yukimura-san would stand there with his jacket fluttering off his shoulders- looking every bit of the leader he was. When the other two boys (whom I nicknamed The Rock Hat One and The Eyes Closed Weirdly One or RHO and ECWO) stood next to them, they really _did _look like they could rule the world.

But compared to the intimidating, commanding, maybe inspiring but downright scary persona Yukimura-san had on the courts, I preferred the gentle, enigmatic and maybe even _angelic _side of him, the side that greeted me every morning. Perhaps it was because I was a girl, or I didn't play tennis, but I felt the Yukimura-san that tended to the flowers of the roof-top garden was more awe-inspiring than the one who could win matches in a heartbeat if he wanted to.

But either way, Yukimura-san was one unfathomable person.

Marui-san would always wave wildly, whenever he spotted me. Most of the time it was between matches and his face would be stuffed with cake, which would send me into fits of silent giggles. He often gestured for me to come down near the courts, but I always declined. It was hard enough to sit in the shadows, I couldn't even _think _about being in the sight of the other players. The thought of being near RHO, nearly sent me into a fit of dizziness. Gosh, that could _never _happen.

As far as my friendship with Marui-san was going, we were still exchanging notes, but we hadn't actually had a conversation yet. As much as I wanted to, I was still slightly uncomfortable with his presence- like it was a tiny needle pricking me. Maybe because his presence was attention-seeking, quirky and quite the opposite of mine- it wasn't easy to settle into.

But his notes were _amusing._

* * *

After I parted ways with Yukimura-san, I hummed my way to the school terrace, taking the long route and entering through the back entrance. I enjoyed the gentle breeze, as I sat down on one of the benches and removed my Math textbook and began working out problems.

As hard as it was for me to concentrate, I knew I had to work harder than ever if I wanted to get good grades in Rikkai. The syllabus was extremely challenging not to mention, high-school was a huge leap from middle school. I wasn't a genius, but I scored fairly well, because I didn't have many distractions and I had _way _too much free time.

By 7:45, I made my way down to class. The hustle and bustle of students hadn't started, but there were a fairly large number of students- by my standards- milling about. I entered class, and made my way unnoticed to my seat. Marui-san hadn't arrived yet, so I sat down and stared outside the window.

Of course up till then nothing had happened really.

The day passed on, until Math came up- my _favourite _class (note the sarcasm).

Sakamoto sensei entered class, and I could _feel _the temperature drop. She was neither a motherly teacher nor a cold one. She wasn't jovial, or caring, or even a very good teacher.

Sakamoto sensei was a spawn of hell.

I might be exaggerating a teeny bit, but it's true. Her smile hid the evilness that burned within her. Her faux kindness and perkiness were only prelude to the horror of her classes. She was a devil who seemed to take Rikkaidai's motto a little too seriously.

"_Winning is the only option."_

Not only did I find this repressive, because I like most of the world's population, was not very special or wonderful or genius-like, but I found that there were people who agreed with it (or were forced to?)

Yukimura-san and Marui-san certainly believed it, if their tennis practices were anything to go by.

It was poison that filled the halls of Rikkaidai, you could feel it everywhere.

In Rikkaidai, there was a clear line between winners and losers. You can't escape the tug-of-war between the two. The constant _pull-push, pull-push, push-pull- _every person being silently judged, each step up the ladder pushes another down. The social scene was constantly changing. Every error at the top brought you close to the bottom; but every win didn't take you to the top- you had to make the right friends, choose the right circles, personality- it was a vicious cycle, where every move made a difference.

The motto had led to a school of a pack of people bloodthirsty for attention, because in the end if you didn't get it, you ceased to exist in the hallways of Rikkai because _everything _was based on your social standing. Losing _literally _wasn't an option, not just a figure of speech. If you can't make a name for yourself, you become a ghost in the school, just a name in the class register- you simply _are _there, your presence becomes unnecessary- you could disappear and no one would notice.

Even friendship becomes a tool of social standing. The popular stuck with the popular, the nerds with the nerds, the dancers with the dancers, the artists with the artists- as long as you do something of _value _in your own little niche, Rikkaidai accepts you.

Sakamoto sensei was a strong believer in this "_survival of the fittest" _concept.

But at that point of time when she entered class, her personal passion for dystopia was less of an issue than her obvious distaste towards the _normal _people.

Her eyes noticed everything, but she showed blatant favouritism to those select few who _mattered _in her- I obviously was not one of them.

As much as I hated her, my natural tendency to avoid conflict made sure I didn't get into her bad books. I kept silent in class, sticking to my wallflower personality, not making her angry in anyway. Of course Marui-san was not a believer in the concept of peace and non-violence.

It started off simple enough, just another note passed in class.

_Yo Tsukino-chan, show me your math classwork._

_Marui-san, perhaps it would be more suitable to __**listen **__in class._

_Waaah, what fun is that? I can just copy off you._

At that he tilted his chair back and stretched his arms behind his back in utter nonchalance which infuriated me to no end.

_Marui-san I will __**not **__let you do that._

_Says who?_

_Says me._

_Oh yeah?_

_Yeah._

_Well considering the fact that you've shown me your classwork earlier, I don't think it'll be very hard for me convince you._

He shot me a wink, and leaned back obviously proud of himself.

My face wrinkled at the sight of his arrogance. He saw my expression and his smile increased ten-fold, his violet eyes twinkled and he shot me self-satisfied smirk.

"_Why you little…."_ I threatened him with a fist swinging right to face, rubbing that stupid smirk off (in my mind of course). How mean of him to take advantage of my one moment of weakness!

Of course he didn't stop there.

_Pass me the classwork Tsukino-chan._

_You can't make me._

I jutted my head up in a petulant fashion, and crossed my arms to show my refusal.

He raised a brow at me, popped a bubble, before bending down to scribble a note on the corner of his notebook and tearing it and placing it on my desk. I picked it up, smoothed it and read.

_Oh yeah?_

I scribbled my answer back.

_Yeah._

Mind you, this entire note exchanging thing was happening _during _class hours, during _math _period, during _Sakamoto sensei's _period- a small fact that seemed to have slipped my mind.

_Oh yeah?_

_Yeah._

_Oh yeah?_

_Yeah._

_Oh yeah?_

_YES._

Knowing that the conversation would go on forever, I turned my attention back to my book in order to do my small contribution to save the environment by not wasting any more scraps of paper.

A paper was placed pretty violently on my desk.

_I shall make you regret it otherwise._

This time I raised a brow and looked at him. His expression was challenging, his eyes alight with mischief.

_And how do you propose to do that?_

He shot me a very innocent look, before clearing his throat softly.

No no he wouldn't do he? Oh god, he might.

My mind started spinning as Marui-san teasingly started standing up, and he lifted his hands. His eyes met mine, and it burned with question. Was I prepared for this?

It was incredibly unfair that he was taking advantage of my extreme susceptibility to fear. But I knew he wouldn't do that, because as far as I knew Marui-san, he seemed like a genuinely nice person who wouldn't take advantage of others' weaknesses.

Oh who am I kidding? He could do anything.

Perhaps it was my fear and annoyance and his amusement at my plight that blinded us to the fact that we were actually supposed to be paying _attention _in class. I didn't usually act like this, Marui-san brought out the worst in me.

He stood up completely and turned one last time to look at me, and he gestured to my book. I clutched it protectively against my chest and I shook my head furiously. He shot me a, _'Don't tell me I didn't warn you'_ look, which got me out of my seat too. He opened his mouth-

"May I know what you two are doing?"

-and promptly shut it. Before us stood Sakamoto sensei in all her ugly, scary, demon-like beauty.

"I _said _what are you two doing?"

One of her hands was held against her waist and the other clutched a piece of chalk. Only then did I notice the vast number of problems she had solved on the board, and the silence that reigned in the classroom as thirty odd students scribbled down notes.

Later I would thank god that they were far too busy to watch the incident unfold before their eyes, and that Sakamoto-sensei was speaking softly- although her soft tone was like needles piercing through your skin, it lasts for a short period of time, pains for at least a week.

Her tiny brown eyes squinted at us in her very large face with a wobbling double-chin. She lifted her pudgy hand at me.

I froze and gulped.

"Hand me those notes."

My hand quivered, and my eyes shot rapidly between sensei and Marui-san. He seemed to get the message, so he called out.

"What notes sensei?"

In that moment sensei looked away, I deftly pushed all the noted scattered on my desk to the ground.

"Oh you know very well what I'm talking about. You didn't think I'd notice your little tête-à-tête?" She waved her hands around, and turned back to me.

I could feel my body tremble and mind racing.

"I said hand me the notes."

"I don't have any notes." My answer surprised me- I had never ever spoken back to a teacher.

Next to me Marui-san shot me an encouraging smile.

Her eyes flashed.

"I'll ask you _one more time, _where are those notes?"

"I don't know sensei," I answered boldly, my knees buckling and my mind desperately tried to get my tongue under control. Beside me, Marui-san held back a snicker.

Sensei licked her lips and bent forward.

"Do you want to get into trouble?"

"What if I do?" I shrugged nonchalantly, but as soon as I said it, I wanted to take my words back. Even if she was disgusting, she was my _teacher _and I couldn't talk like that. My heart hammered under my chest, and my hand trembled. The word '_sorry' _was on my lips, but it died when she straightened, a sense of purpose in her eyes,

"Now listen little girl-" She didn't even know my name, which in another situation would've made me happy, but at that moment felt very insulting. "-I don't know what you're up to, but I want you to listen here. In Rikkaidai we value only achievers, not mere _participants," _she spat out the word like it disgusted her. "Marui-san," she gestured, "is part of a nationally ranked tennis team along with Yukimura-san, whom I'm sure you would have heard of. Funaki-san," the high-heeled girl, "is the lead vocalist of the school's choir, which incidentally has been chosen to represent our school at the National Level." As if she had an extra-sense towards compliments Funaki-san perked up and glanced in my direction. "Ikeda-san is representing Japan in the Physics Olympiad coming August."

"This school, _my students,"_ She waved around the room, "have topped every field one can." She stopped and bent forward once more. "May I know what you're good at little girl?" She gave me a look, and I bowed my head. "_Pathetic. _Perhaps when you reach a stage where you can actually skive off classes, only then should you allow yourself to blatantly not pay attention." She rapped my desk with her knuckles and straightened, leaving me shaking.

As she turned to Marui-san, I felt the great injustice of her accusing me without knowing any of the facts.

"Marui-san-" her expression had morphed into one of gently disappointment. "I had expected better from you," she sighed deeply as if the fact deeply pained her. "As much as I don't want to, I must ask you to report for detention today after school." She smiled at him sweetly, shocking me with her complete _complete _partiality.

Marui-san didn't respond to her, but simply glared until her smile dropped. She huffed slightly, "Very well, I shall see you and your little friend in the staffroom after school." With a swish she turned and the smart thing to do was to sit down, and accept the punishment quietly. And that's what I _should've _done, and that's what I _would've _done normally.

But at that point of time, my sociophobia or my wallflower instincts decided to turn off, and blood rushed to my head. My mind chanted, _calm down calm down _but I could _not _calm down, because it was wrong of her, wrong of her to believe that just because I didn't win tournaments or top classes, I was a loser and not worth her time. Sociophobia made me want to _avoid _people, but that didn't make me dumb or incapable- and at that moment I felt _angry _which was a rare phenomenon. Now I wanted to scream that out to the world, but luckily I was not _that _brave or _that _stupid, so instead I tugged her hand and when she turned, I shot her a sickly sweet smile and said, "Sensei what are _you _good at?"

Now if I had stopped for a moment and assessed my facts, perhaps I would have saved myself a lot of embarrassment. Or even better of I had stopped and realised the possibility of people looking at me, maybe my sociophobia would have worked up, and I would have been spared the pain.

But of course I didn't do that.

Her face morphed into a look of confusion, so I clarified, "You accused me of being useless, but what are good at?"

She looked shocked, and Marui-san snickered beside me. I did a mental victory dance at her expression, and congratulated myself on speaking out for the first time. I thought, _Hell maybe I'm not too bad at this. Maybe I'm not a weak sociophobe._

But her expression changed, and her lips curved into a derisive smile. She bent forward and said, "I've worked at this institution for ten years. I've been awarded several times for my teaching. I'm good at assessing the worth of my students, and when I look at you, I know you're not worth it. I _know _you aren't going to top the class or win anything. Aren't I right _Tsukino-san_?"

My blood ran cold, and the trembling came back. All the hot-headiness had faded away, leaving behind the usual fear.

I had lost the battle.

She knew it too, as she smiled satisfied with herself. She turned and walked back. "I'll see you both in detention."

Her heels clacked against the floor, and I could practically _see _her smugness.

Marui-san turned to me, and exclaimed, "I can't believe her! How could she say things like that? _Fucking_-" He stopped midway and looked at me.

I could feel tears prickling in my eyes, my heart was pounding against my chest, and my body was trembling. I couldn't believe I had done something so _rash _and stupid! The one time I decided to throw caution to the wind- it backfired horribly_. _I tried to calm down but I couldn't. Marui-san tried talking again, but he fell silent when I waved my hand at him to shut up. He kept shooting me concerned looks until the period got over.

After the bell rang, my mind stopped racing and only then did her words sink into my brain. The way she insulted me didn't hurt me, being insulted wasn't new, but the fact that I had _detention _freaked me out.

_Detention!_

I gathered my things, and walked slowly out of class to the roof in a daze. I felt Marui-san run after me, and he fell into step with me. In silence we climbed up the stairs and entered the roof. We sat down on the bench, until he finally spoke, "That was really brave of you."

_No it wasn't._

"It's okay; people get angry all the time with her."

_But I __**don't**__._

"You should forget about it."

_I'm trying._

Marui-san soon got tired of this one-sided conversation, and stopped talking.

I felt guilty of making him go through the torture of trying to comfort me so piqued up, "I've never spoken back to a teacher you know." I spread my hands on my lap, and looked up at the sky. Marui-san glanced at me in surprise, half because of my answer, half because I spoke.

"Never ever? Even if they spoke like this to you?"

"Yeah," I sighed, "I'm a good student Marui-san. I don't like disrespecting teachers."

He jumped up from his seat. He threw his hands in the air and exclaimed, "She deserved it!"

I laughed a little, "Maybe she did, but still I was the one who lost in the end."

"Well, she may have won the battle, but you can win the _war._"

I blinked at him.

"That's pretty deep Marui-san."

He clutched his chest wounded. "I'm a genius Tsukino-chan. Haven't you seen me play tennis?"

I giggled, "Not really Marui-san."

His eyes widened, "You _haven't_?"

I shook my head.

"Well then you _have _to come next week for the district tournament. You will be blown away my skills." He popped a bubble, and his violet eyes twinkled.

"Okay."

"Yes!" He punched the air above his head and threw me a grin.

"So let me give you a short summary of how the game works, so you can understand the awesomeness that is Rikkai, when you watch us."

He began talking about the different nuances of tennis, and I felt a surge of affection for the boy with violet eyes for all he was doing to comfort me. So I sat there contentedly and listened to him imitate the different strokes of tennis, and he pulled me into his intricate web of humour and joy, and the lunch hour passed in a blink of the eye.

"So this is how the ball lands after my genius Tightrope walking move and-"

Just then the bell rang, and I realised that we had missed lunch. I immediately felt extremely guilty.

"I'm sorry Marui-san, I made you miss lunch!"

He shrugged, "It's okay." Then his face lit up with mischief, "Maybe you can make it up to me by buying me cake later." He winked, and I laughed.

"Sure sure."

He grinned and walked towards the door. I stood up and followed him, shaking my head at his antics. I realised, Marui-san was a very _very_ nice person.

* * *

And that's how I found myself pacing in front of the staffroom with Marui-san after school. Although I wasn't angry or upset, I was still panicking and freaking out of the idea of detention.

Well I had finally made a proper friend so I guess it was okay.

* * *

_That wasn't too bad was it?_

_No it was Marui-san, it was very bad._

_Waaaah._

* * *

**A/N: **Another chapter yayyyy! :D

A few notes:

**Note 1: **The way I write about sociophobia is solely how I see it. I'm not sociophobic, nor do I know anyone who is. Everything is based on what google taught me, and my own imagination. I'm sorry if I get it wrong.

**Note 2: **The last chapter was extremely sucky, so if you happen to see the story again with no new chapter, then it's probably because I've gone back and edited it.

**Note 3: **READ AND REVIEW PEOPLE :D

~Dragonseatingme


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